Double-disk refiner



July 4, 1961 D. E. JONES DOUBLE-DISK REFINER Filed April 29, 1960 2,991,020 DOUBIiE-DISK REFINER Dwight E. Jones, Pittsfield, Mass., assignor to E. D. Jones Corporation, Pittsfield, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 25,619 2 Claims. (Cl. 241-146) This invention relates to machines for refining paper pulp and other material and more particularly to machines of the so-called double-disk type comprising a rotary disk having a set of blades on each side and a set of stationary blades facing each of said sets with a passageway extending radially between the blades of each pair of opposed rotary and stationary blades. Such a machine is disclosed in Patent 2,690,098 granted September 24, 1954, to Dwight E. Jones et al.

One difiiculty with machines of this kind is to equalize the pressure on opposite sides of the rotating disk, thereby to avoid end thrust and to obtain the same action on both sides of the disk. When the passageways are fed from an external source through pipes, it is diflicult to provide exactly equal pressures in the two passageways, and hence equal flow thru each passageway; and when there is unequal flow one pair of blades will do more work on the pulp than the other pair thereby causing an unbalance which results in wear on one pair of blades greater than that on the other pair.

Objects of the present invention are to provide apparatus which is simple and economical in construction, and which automatically equalizes the pressure on opposite sides of the rotating disk and equalizes wear on the two sets of blades.

According to the present invention the apparatus comprises a rotary disk having a set of blades on each side and a set of stationary blades facing each of the aforesaid sets with a passageway extending radially between the blades of each pair of opposed rotary and stationary blades throughout the circumference of the disk, and a shaft supporting the disk, characterized in that the shaft has an axial opening extending lengthwise thereof with ducts communicating with the aforesaid passageways respectively so as to equalize the pressure of material flowing through the passageways in parallel. More specifically the apparatus comprises a housing supporting the stationary blades, the shaft being journalled in the housing and substantially touching the housing throughout its periphery on each side of the disk so as to restrict the inner end of the aforesaid passageways. In the preferred embodiment the shaft has an axial opening therein.

For the purpose of illustration a tpical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is an end view of the apparatus; and

FIG. 2 is a side view with a portion in central axial section.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a housing 1 in which is journalled a shaft 2. Fast to the shaft is a disk 3 carrying the aforesaid blades 4 on opposite sides thereof. Facing said sets of blades are sets 6 of stationary blades States Patent mounted on the housing 1. The end 7 of the housing is held on by screws 8, being removable to permit the re-' moval of the rotor 2.

As shown in FIG. 2 the end of the shaft 2 is hollow and ducts 10 interconnect the opening in the end of the shaft with the passageways between the two sets of blades 46, the opening having an inlet at the end of the shaft. An outlet pipe 9 is connected to an opening in the upper end of the housing by means of screws 11. As shown in FIG. 2 the shaft 2 bears on the housing on each side of the passageways so as to restrict the inner ends of the passageways, and the end 7 is provided with a hub 12 for connection to an inlet pipe.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the stock flowing inwardly through the hollow end of the shaft 2 is divided equally between the two passageways between the rotary and stationary disks, so that the pressure on opposite sides of the disk is equalized.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims,

I claim:

1. Refining apparatus comprising a rotary disk having a set of blades on each side, a set of stationary blades facing each of said sets with a passageway extending radially between the blades of each pair of opposed rotary and stationary blades throughout the circumference of the disk, and a shaft supporting said disk, the shaft having an opening extending lengthwise thereof with ducts communicating with said passageways respectively, said opening having an inlet through which material may be fed through said ducts in parallel, and said ducts being approximately equal, thereby to equalize the pressure of material flowing through the passageways in parallel.

2. Refining apparatus comprising a rotary disk having a set of blades on each side, a set of stationary blades facing each of said sets with a passageway extending radially between the blades of each pair of opposed rotary and stationary blades throughout the circumference of the disk, a housing supporting said stationary blades, a shaft jouranlled in said housing and substantially touching the housing on each side of said disk so as to restrict the inner ends of said passageways, said disk being fast to the shaft, the shaft having an opening extending lengthwise thereof with ducts communicating with said passageways respectively, said opening having an inlet through which material may be fed through said ducts in parallel, and said ducts being approximately equal, thereby to equalize the pressure of material flowing through the passageways in parallel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 221,707 Totman Nov. 18, 1879 938,466 Ericsson Nov. 2, 1909 2,244,996 Laird June 10, 1941 2,356,753 Dotzer Aug. 29, 1944 2,727,440 Jones et al Dec. 20, 1955 2,903,197 Willeams Sept. 8, 1959 

